In this issue: [Featured Reports; R2P in the News; Commentary on Darfur; Upcoming Events and Other Reports of Interest]

I. Featured Reports

1. ONE WORLD TRUST---DON'T CALL ME, I'LL CALL YOU? CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REALISING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IN REGIONAL PEACKEEPING 2. BROOKINGS INSTITUTION SCHOLAR SUSAN RICE---THE GENOCIDE IN DARFUR: AMERICA MUST DO MORE TO FULFILL THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT

This new report by the One World Trust examines the challenges facing the operationalization of the Responsibility to Protect in Regional Peacekeeping, particularly when under a Chapter VII mandate. It concludes, hile Chapter VIII of the UN Charter enables collaborative task sharing between global and regional organisations, and the UN encourages coordination, there are only few appropriate governance arrangements in place that ensure the accountability and effectiveness of regionally led responses to conflict. The report also contains recommendations on how to best realize the goals of the Responsibility to Protect for regional organizations hile maintaining the global common security principle and common standards in international responses to conflict.

2. THE GENOCIDE IN DARFUR: AMERICA MUST DO MORE TO FULFILL THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECTSusan E. RiceThe Brookings Institution

This report by Brookings Institution scholar, Susan E. Rice, is one of a series on reports aimed at giving policy advice to the future American president. In this report, Rice conducts an analysis of the current situation in Darfur and the failures of the American response to, what President Bush has called, genocide. Rice concludes, he situation in Darfur is evolving rapidly. Clearly, the next President will be faced with a different, yet still difficult, situation in Darfur. The report proposes a new strategy for the future American president, which seeks to realize Americas role to fulfill the Responsibility to Protect.

Today World Vision, along with more than 40 international and national humanitarian agencies working in Somalia, is highlighting the dramatic deterioration of the humanitarian situation in South Central Somalia and calling on those with a responsibility to protect civilians to act now to save lives.

Constrained access and deteriorating security is leaving international and national NGOs with little humanitarian space in which to operate in Somalia. All indicators point to a deterioration of the already dire humanitarian situation.

"We cannot stand by while thousands of children and their families suffer through one of the worst humanitarian crises in our world today," said Chris Smoot, program director for World Vision Somalia. "World Vision is calling on the international community to intervene for the sake of thousands of families before it is too late"

The following Statement of Concern was issued today by more than 40 organizations working in Somalia:

"There is an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in South Central Somalia. Tens of thousands of people are currently fleeing violence in Mogadishu adding to the up to 335,000 people already needing immediate lifesaving assistance in Mogadishu and the Shabelle regions.

International and National NGOs cannot respond effectively to the crisis because access and security are deteriorating dramatically at a time when needs are increasing.

The international community and all parties to the present conflict have a responsibility to protect civilians, to allow the delivery of aid and to respect humanitarian space and the safety of humanitarian workers." ()

1. CANADA URGED TO TAKE ACTION ON DARFUR GENOCIDE'Responsibility to protect,' has fallen by the wayside, says DallaireCindy Chan Epoch Times25 October 2007

Canada is failing in its responsibility to help stop the massive atrocities and humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan, said Senator Romo Dallaire and Liberal MP Irwin Cotler at an all-party press conference in Ottawa last Tuesday.

"[Canada] created the whole concept of 'responsibility to protect.' Where massive abuses of human rights are in existence, we have a responsibility to go in and assist and protect," said Dallaire. "However, we have sort of disappeared from the map [in Darfur] Literally, we have not taken that responsibility."

The "responsibility to protect" (R2P) is an international security and human rights doctrine conceived by former Canadian foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy in the aftermath of the horrors of Kosovo and Rwanda.

() Adopted by the U.N. in September 2005, R2P maintains that the international community has a "responsibility . . . to help protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity" when countries cannot or will not protect their own people. This includes military intervention, if necessary, as a last resort.

Impunity amidst Atrocities

() Meanwhile, "massive atrocities continue unabated," he said, adding that "the most horrific thing" is the impunity given to Ahmad Harun, Sudan's Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs.

Harun has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC issued a warrant for his arrest in April 2007, yet he remains in his post, and in September the Sudanese government appointed him to lead an investigation into human rights abuses in Sudan.

"What could be a greater injury to the people of Darfur, the rule of law, and the peace process, than to have this kind of mocking of the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine and the law?" said Cotler.

() Dallaire said Canada's responsibility is not limited to the humanitarian side. It must also include diplomatic, security, and technical dimensions to protect the people, assist in negotiations and gender issues, and provide technology-based expertise.

() Hotline to PM's Office

Jonathan Laski of STAND Canada (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) also spoke at the press conference. STANDS has just launched a 1-800-GENOCIDE toll-free hotline to help Canadians press for increased government action in Darfur.

The number 1-800-436-6243 ("GENOCIDE" without the "E") allows callers to listen to some talking points and then be directly connected to the Prime Minister's Office or one of five other Canadian government officials.

() Cotler also delivered a message to Canada from Salih Mahmoud Osman, a Sudanese opposition MP and distinguished human rights activist from Darfur.

2. WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES ENDORSES R2PWorld Council of Churches28 September 2007

1. During the 9th Assembly, the World Council of Churches affirmed the emerging international norm known as the responsibility to protect. The Assembly, in its ulnerable Populations at Risk: Statement on the Responsibility to Protect, gives international church support to a new standard of protection for civilians when a state cannot or will not protect them.

2. t is in those who are most vulnerable that Christ become visible for us, the Assembly said, he responsibility to protect the vulnerable reaches far beyond the boundaries of nations and faith-traditions.

() 3. The responsibility to protect has three pillars: the prevention of catastrophic violence against civilians, the need to react if such violence occurs, and assistance in rebuilding and reconciliation afterwards. The norm defines state sovereignty in terms of duties and obligations for the well being of civilians rather than as an absolute power. It limits, but does not exclude, the use of force in protective interventions for humanitarian purposes.

4. Meeting in the country of Armenia, where genocide nearly a century ago still casts a deep shadow, we reiterate the international responsibility to protect people at risk in the Darfur region of Sudan and in neighbouring Chad. Important protective measures there have largely failed so far. Broader multilateral action is authorized but implementation is slow. Therefore:

A. We call member churches once again to bring the protection of people in Darfur to the attention of their governments, making use of the WCC 9th Assembly policy on the responsibility to protect. Noting that UN Security Council Resolution 1706 on Darfur is the first time the Security Council has referred to the responsibility to protect in a specific country crisis, we recommend that churches request their governments to pay special attention to its implementation. ()

The annual International Human Rights Colloquium is a forum that brings together scores of human rights activists and academics for a week each year to learn from their peers and experts in the field, obtain a fresh perspective on their work, and lay the foundation for professional alliances down the road (networking). The Colloquium creates a multiplier effect that benefits both the participants and their organizations. The objective of the VII International Human Rights Colloquium is to strengthen the impact of human rights activists and academics work in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

This year's conference will focus upon the theme of "Cultivating Sustainable Learning Communities". Particular emphasis will be placed upon: developing a core community/network of peace educators within Canada; discussing and developing action plans for addressing shared challenges; and building critical skills for community involvement.

This report by Human Rights Watch examines a new serious violation of international law in Darfur. The Sudanese government has recently forced relocation of civilians in South Darfur IDP camps to unsecure areas where there is almost no access to humanitarian relief. HRW fears this ay be the prelude to new attempts to dismantle certain civilian camps. The report also calls for the Government of National Unity to cease all action related to forced relocations nd allow the African Union Mission in Sudan, the United Nations Mission in Sudan, and humanitarian agencies access to all displaced persons, whether they reside in camps or other locations in Darfur.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed deep concern on Thursday about surging sexual violence and a hike in the number of civilians uprooted as a result of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Nord-Kivu province.

A statement said: "The Secretary General is deeply concerned about the increased displacement, human suffering, and sexual violence in Nord Kivu and calls upon the belligerents to ensure unrestricted access of humanitarian efforts to civilians affected by the conflict."

Ban urged the DRC government "to ensure the protection of all civilians in the region" and all dissidents to join the so-called "brassage" process - reintegration of ex-combatants into the national army - "immediately and without conditions.

() UN and human rights officials have also denounced the increasing use of sexual violence against women as a weapon of war in the area, particularly gang rapes where attackers mutilate their victims' genitals until they need surgery.